Chapter 2 Flashcards
constitution
a document that out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government
republic
a government ruled by representatives of the people
Articles of Confederation
a governing document that created a union of thirteen sovereign states in which the states, not the national government, were supreme
unicameral
a one-house legislature
Shay’s Rebellion
a popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts
Constitutional Convention
a meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation
Writ of Habeas Corpus
the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them
Bills of Attainder
when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial
Ex Post Facto Laws
laws punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed
Virginia Plan
a plan of government calling for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature, where more populous states would have more representation in Congress
New Jersey Plan
a plan of government that provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each states
Grand Committee
a committee at the Constitutional Convention that worked out the compromise on representation
Great (Connecticut) Compromise
an agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans; it settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate apportioned equally
bicameral
a two-house legislature
Three-Fifths Compromise
an agreement reached by delegates at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as three-fifths of a person in calculating a state’s representation
checks and balances
a design of government in which each branch has powers that can prevent the other branches from making policy
federalism
the sharing of power between the national government and the states
legislative branch
the institution responsible for making laws
expressed or enumerated powers
authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution
necessary and proper or elastic clause
language in Article I, Section 8, granting Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers
implied powers
authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers
executive branch
the institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch
judicial branch
the institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through the federal courts
supremacy clause
constitutional provision declaring that the Constitution and all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land
amendment
the process by which changes may be made to the Constitution
Federalists
supporters of the proposed Constitution, who called for a strong national government
Antifederalists
those opposed to the proposed Constitution, who favored stronger state governments
Federalist Papers
A series of eighty-five essays that lay out the theory behind the Constitution
Federalist No. 51
an essay in which Madison argues that separation of powers and federalism will prevent tyranny
faction
a group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process
Federalist No. 10
an essay in which Madison argues that the dangers of faction can be mitigated by a large republic and republican government
Brutus No. 1
an Antifederalist Paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government
